A Classic

This is a copycat of my mom's recipe for chicken salad. I couldn't find hers the day I wanted to make it so I through this together and it is fabulous. Simple, but classic. If you want you use 3/4 C fat free yogurt and a few tablespoons of mayo. I'll post up a picture later.

Chicken Salad

2 ½ C cooked chicken, cubed
1 C celery, chopped
1 C seedless grapes, sliced
½ C sliced almonds
Pinch of salt
¾ C mayo
¼ whipping cream, whipped

Curried Chicken Salad

I have never really tried to much curry until I married my husband. Now, I still have only tried it once or twice and it's never exactly my favorite dish. This recipe however is amazing. I mean this lady is amazing all together. She cooks the most healthy, simple and yet still delicious recipes.

We served ours with store bought naan. It was okay. Let me tell you a secret though, it is way, way better home made. I will share my secret recipe a later time.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Tofu is not loved by many people I know, but this is safe for even meat-lovers. Simple, healthy, cheap and very tasty. Feel free to try a different sauce, or eat it with rice. Maybe add some different veggies.

Marinated, Baked Tofu Wraps :

1 (16 ounce) package firm tofu
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1 tsp dried ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon oil

Drain tofu and cut into 1" cubes. Mix all other ingredients together except olive oil. Pour marinade over tofu and cover. Refrigerate overnight, or even a day or two. Lightly grease baking pan or sheet with olive oil. Arrange tofu in single layer on sheet, making sure not to forget the garlic and ginger from the marinade dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, flip tofu. Add carrots and cook another 20 minutes. Add sesame seeds and cook five more. Remove from oven and add green onions. Serve in a piece of lettuce topped with peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce:

1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 squirt siracha, or other hot sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vinegar or hoisen sauce

In a small pot, stir together peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, water, hot pepper sauce and garlic until well mixed. Cook over medium high until thick and creamy.

Taco and Potato Soup

I must keep short on words this week because I have mass quantities of homework to catch up on. Why? Oh because I have spent all week grocery shopping, asian market, costco, walmart, and the list continues. Ryan has a sushi party, aka wife spends her life running erronds and doing chores, then at the end of the week stuffs her face with amazing food. Know what this means for you? Pictures, lots of them. Oh and how to's from my better, more entertaining half. So please forgive my lack of words this week. Much love.

The potato soup is light, but I promise no lack in flavor. I know many would think I am horrible for making potato soup without loads of cheese, butter and whole milk, but please forgive me my tummy hates that stuff. And we have not been on good terms lately, I have eatin way to much butter for it to like me.

Potato Soup

3 good sized potatoes
3 cups water or chicken broth
½ onion
1 clove garlic
2 Tbs butter

1 Tbs olive oil
3 tbs flour
¼ tsp thyme
¼ chives
¼ tsp parsley
¼ tsp oregano
Salt and pepper
1 ½ cups milk, yes I use fat free

Peel and chop potatoes and throw in water to boil. Cook onions and garlic in butter and oil until soft. Add flour and seasonings. Then add milk until thickens. Add milk mixture to potatoes. Simmer for like 20 minutes. Blend if desired and serve with parmesan.

This soup is easy and way better than beef taco soup to me. What can I say, it must be fall, I love soup and fall does too.

Taco Soup

Sausage Stirfry

This dish is a recipe my sister in law gave me. I switched it up slightly, but it's quick and healthy, not to mention delicious. I like to chop all the veggies in the morning so my little stinker doesn't have to be patient with me being in the kitchen. He is getting to where he wants to help, or should I say play, with everything.


Sausage Stir Fry :

2 Turkey Sausage
1/2 medium onion
1 bag baby carrots or cut carrots
2 small squash
1 head broccoli
1-2 tomatoes
1-2 C shredded cheese

Chop sausage, onion and broccoli. Add chopped onion broccoli and sausage along with baby carrots to large skillet. Cook with a lid for 10 minutes. Add Squash and cook for 10 more minutes. Add tomatoes and cheese. Cover with lid until cheese is melted. Serve over rice or noodles. I like to add soy sauce to mine.

Brown Fried Rice

This is my dish. The one I know isn't good for me but I just can't get enough. So I decided to give it a whirl at home. I must admit, it's not as easy as the guys at the hibachi grills make it seem. I got rice EVERYWHERE. I guess it would have helped if my grill was as big as my table!

This is a very simple recipe, add any vegetables you like. Add more soy sauce if you just can't get enough(like me), or ham, or even go vegetarian.

For the Rice:

2 C Brown Rice

3 C water

Place in rice cooker until done. Alternate method: bring water to a boil, add rice. Cover and simmer for half an hour or until rice is fluffy.

Fried Rice:

cooked brown rice

2 grilled chicken breast, cubed

1 T oil
2 T butter

1/4 C soy sauce

2 eggs

2 small zucchini squash, cubed

1 C peas

1 bell pepper diced

1 onion, diced

2 green onions, green and white parts

Heat butter and oil on a large griddle. I use the long kind you plug into a wall. Add onion, squash and pepper and cook until they are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the rice and to the side of the pan the two eggs. Once the eggs have started to fry a little, throw everything together and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Throw in the soy sauce, peas and chicken. Let cook another minute or two. Garnish with green onions.

Pork Chops

Pork chops were on sale this week, so I threw them on my menu. I couldn't find a recipe that I had ingredients for in my fridge, so I threw this little number together. Let me tell Ryan loved them! Seriously these are so so easy and so good. No fancy ingredients or grocery runs.

Cranberry-Pecan Chops :

4 pork chop (or six if they are small)
2 T flour
Salt and Pepper
¼ cup craisins
¼ C red onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Soak the craisins in the broth for half of an hour, set aside.
Salt and pepper both sides of each pork chop. Be careful not to do too much salt, we will add chicken stock later. Lightly dust the seasoned chops with flour and rub it on both sides. While you are doing this, have your pan pre-heating on medium high. Spray the pan with oil and add the pork chops. Do not flip until they have browned on the first side.
Flip the pork chops and brown the other side. Remove the prok chops from the pan. Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender. Now add the stock with the craisins.
Let the sauce thicken for a few moments and add the chops back in. Cook until warmed and chops are cooked through.
Remove from heat and let stand five minutes. Pour sauce on the pork chops and top with the toasted pecans.